Chris Matthews believes that a victory by President Barack Obama this November would be the end of the line for conservatism in American politics.

On Thursday’s broadcast of “NewsNation” on MSNBC, the “Hardball” host, backed by a cheering crowd at the site of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., said that if Obama wins, moderates like former Florida Govs. Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist will make a comeback.

“Look, the only people who haven’t had it tough in the last four years are the rich. They’ve had it easy, and I think that’s obvious,” Matthews postulated. “And now they’re afraid they might somebody in the next four years who might start winning battles. By the way, the best way to beat the right-wing is to beat them. If he beats them in this election, they’re finished. And I think that’s the point. And the moderates will come back. And Jeb Bush will come back. And the people like [Charlie Crist] will come back. The moderates will retake the party if you smash the right.”

That, according to Matthews, is the message that Obama has been conveying to make his case for re-election.

“I am talking what the president believes because he’s told people that, that he thinks he can win this election and break these people on the right, the moderates will come back and they’ll be able to negotiate and the Mitch McConnells will be shut up for a while,” he added.